Senior Estimator - Civil / Infrastructure (Construction)

Lumen Search; Dublin; On-site; EUR 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Lumen Search inIreland seeks a Senior Estimator to lead detailed cost and pricing models for network, utilities and civil contracts. You will build first-principles estimates, develop rate build-ups and drive commercial risk reviews across tenders and existing contracts.

You will collaborate with Commercial, Finance, Operations and Bid teams to ensure accurate costing and profitable outcomes for large-scale network infrastructure projects.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in estimating for network, utilities or civil engineering contracts.
• Proven ability to develop detailed cost models from first principles.
• Strong understanding of labour, materials, plant, subcontractors and overheads.

Responsibilities

• Develop detailed, first-principles estimates for new contracts and framework opportunities.
• Build comprehensive cost models from scratch based on delivery models.
• Establish labour, material, plant, subcontractor costs and overheads.
• Develop rate build-ups and pricing schedules for high-volume activities.
• Analyse historical data to improve future pricing accuracy.
• Take a leading commercial role in tenders and contract renewals.
• Review RFQs, BOQs and client pricing documentation.
• Prepare cashflow and cost projections for major opportunities.
• Identify commercial risks and opportunities to improve margins.

Skills

First-principles estimating

Cost modelling

Tendering & bid management

Commercial analysis

Negotiation

Cashflow forecasting

Tools

Excel

Costing software

Job description

Location: West Dublin

Sector: Utilities / Telecommunications / Civil Engineering / Network Infrastructure

Department: Commercial

Type: Full-Time, Permanent

Role Overview

A leading infrastructure services business is seeking an experienced Senior Estimator to join its Commercial team, supporting a substantial portfolio of long-term network, utilities and civil engineering contracts.

This is a commercially important role with responsibility for developing detailed cost and pricing models from the ground up, supporting both new business opportunities and the renewal/repricing of major existing contracts.

The business operates across complex network infrastructure, telecommunications, utilities and civil engineering environments, delivering large-scale programmes involving field operations, network installation, maintenance and associated civils works.

The Senior Estimator will work closely with the Commercial, Finance, Operations, Procurement and Bid teams to understand exactly how a contract will be delivered and translate this into a robust commercial model covering labour, productivity, materials, plant, vehicles, subcontractors, overheads, risk and margin.

This isn't simply a traditional construction estimating position. The successful candidate needs to be comfortable understanding large operational contracts with significant volumes of work and building commercial models that demonstrate what those contracts will actually cost to deliver and the margin they should generate.

Network operations cover telecommunications network planning/build, civil engineering works, in-home telecoms and energy, EV infrastructure and ICT infrastructure.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop detailed first-principles estimates for new contracts, projects and framework opportunities.
• Build comprehensive cost models from scratch based on proposed delivery models.
• Establish labour requirements, productivity assumptions, material costs, plant, fleet, subcontractor costs and overheads.
• Develop rate build-ups and pricing schedules for high-volume network and civils activities.
• Analyse historical project information and use this to improve future pricing accuracy.
• Challenge assumptions and ensure estimates accurately reflect how work will be delivered operationally.
• Develop cashflow and cost projections for major opportunities.
• Take a leading commercial role in major new tenders and existing contract renewals/repricing exercises.
• Review RFQs, scopes, specifications, BOQs and client pricing documentation.
• Understand existing contract performance before developing revised commercial models.
• Analyse historic productivity, revenue, costs and margins.
• Identify opportunities to improve margin and commercial performance.
• Support negotiations with clients during tender and renewal processes.
• Prepare estimates for network infrastructure and associated civil engineering works.
• Develop pricing for excavation, ducting, reinstatement, cabling, network installation and associated activities.
• Assess resource requirements across geographically dispersed programmes.
• Understand productivity and unit-rate implications across high-volume contracts.
• Obtain and analyse subcontractor and supplier quotations.
• Identify scope gaps and commercial risks before submission.

Commercial Analysis

• Work closely with Commercial Managers to understand the profitability of existing contracts.
• Analyse actual performance against original tender assumptions.
• Review labour productivity, cost-to-complete and margin performance.
• Carry out sensitivity and scenario analysis around key commercial assumptions.
• Identify areas where rates or delivery models need to change.
• Support budgeting and forecasting for new and existing contracts.

Bid Management & Adjudication

• Prepare detailed basis-of-estimate reports for senior management.
• Participate in tender adjudications and commercial risk reviews.
• Present pricing assumptions and recommendations to senior leadership.
• Respond to post-tender commercial and technical clarifications.
• Support final client negotiations.
• Prepare comprehensive handover information for Commercial and Operations teams following successful awards.